April 17, 2020

FEMA: President Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Mississippi Due to Severe Storms

FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Mississippi to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding on April 12, 2020.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Covington, Jefferson Davis and Jones counties.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides in Covington, Jefferson Davis and Jones counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Jose M. Girot has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Girot said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.  The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

This post was originally published here.